Process for thick film circuit patterning

A process for forming a pattern having electrically functional properties on a substrate comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a photosensitive layer having a tacky surface disposed on a substrate;
• (b) image-wise exposing the photosensitive tacky surface to form an imaged layer having tacky and non-tacky areas;
• (c) applying the exposed photosensitive layer to a sheet comprising at least one layer of a thick film composition disposed on a support wherein the imaged layer is in contact with the thick film composition of the sheet;
• (d) removing the imaged layer wherein the thick film composition substantially adheres to the tacky areas of the imaged layer and remains on the support in the non-tacky areas of the imaged layer forming a patterned article;
• (e) curing the thick film composition of the patterned article.

A process for forming a pattern having electrically functional properties on a substrate comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a layer having a tacky surface disposed on a substrate;
• (b) applying a sheet comprising at least one layer of a thick film composition disposed on a support to the tacky surface wherein the tacky surface is in contact with the thick film composition of the sheet;
• (c) removing the support wherein the thick film composition substantially adheres to the tacky surface forming a patterned article;
• and
• (d) firing the thick film composition of the patterned article.

A process for the recovery of a thick film composition from a support comprising a support having a dried thick film composition in the form of a reverse circuit pattern comprising the sequential steps of:

• (a) passing the dried thick film composition on a first support through a solvent bath to form a solution of the thick film composition;
• (b) adjusting the viscosity of the solution to form a castable solution.;
• and
• (c) applying the castable solution on a second support.

A method for using a photosensitive layer to form a pattern having electrically functional properties with a thick film composition, comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming tacky and non-tacky areas on the surface of a photosensitive layer by image-wise exposing the photosensitive layer to actinic radiation to form an image-wise exposed surface;
• (b) contacting the image-wise exposed surface with a thick film composition which substantially adheres to the tacky areas but does not adhere to the nontacky areas to form a pattern of thick film composition on the image-wise exposed surface;
• and
• (c) firing the thick film composition on the image-wise exposed surface.